We're moving into a new building, which entails plowing through piles
of weird objects in the demo room that haven't been disturbed for
decades. One item in particular has everyone puzzled. It's a sealed
glass tube with a few cc's of mercury and some bluish-purple
crystals. The tube is supported in a heat-resistant clamp, so I
presume it was once heated. Anybody have any ideas about what it
might be good for, or should I consign it for hazardous waste
disposal? Thanks.